Current flow in leds

[Farmelectrics]

Can some one explain for me what ever current flows in live must return in the neutral so when we come to led strip lights (flurocents) how does the current return through neutral when LEDs are diodes and they only allow current to flow one way how does it get it's return path

 

[Moses]

Can some one explain for me what ever current flows in live must return in the neutral so when we come to led strip lights (flurocents) how does the current return through neutral when LEDs are diodes and they only allow current to flow one way how does it get it's return path

I know what you are saying, but I can't explain it to you in words!!!

AC converted to DC

DC then used to drive the LEDs.

 

[telectrix]

electronic wizardry. the current return path is fairy dust.

 

[Darkwood]

You over thinking this DC is still a circuit all that has changed is the waveform model, A.C. is usually 230v and is passed through a transformer then rectified, alternatively its waveform is chopped up and then reassembled as in switchmode devices but whatever you put on the the output end it will still form a feed and return path.

 

[Farmelectrics]

Dark wood I sort of understand so I have 75v dc on + so surely I shoul have a return of 75v dc on _ but how can this happen if diodes only allow current to flow one way ie no return path

 

[infinity]

there is a return path ( a circuit) its just the voltage will only flow one way not alternate

 

[Moses]

Dark wood I sort of understand so I have 75v dc on + so surely I shoul have a return of 75v dc on _ but how can this happen if diodes only allow current to flow one way ie no return path

DC is Direct Current, and not alternation current.

DC only flows in one direction only, AC flows in both direction.

DC flows in the LEDs in one direction only.

 

[Guest111]

Think of it as a one way street you enter at positive street and must drive one way round to negative street,with dc its a flat waveform imagine going down a 1 way street on a pushbike you go forward but not up and down.now with ac think going on a rough sea you still go 1 way but go up and down with the waves as well.hope this helps,easier with a drawing but it gives you the idea. think of a diode as a non return valve.

 

[Darkwood]

Think of it as a one way street you enter at positive street and must drive one way round to negative street,with dc its a flat waveform imagine going down a 1 way street on a pushbike you go forward but not up and down.now with ac think going on a rough sea you still go 1 way but go up and down with the waves as well.hope this helps,easier with a drawing but it gives you the idea. think of a diode as a non return valve.

Caution with advice here, D.C. can have waveform and often does to some degree, you can get D.C. with same shape wave as A.C. but it dosn't pass through zero Volts, True D.C. flat line is hard to achieve without expensive electronics and is always prone to noise, you commonly will come across full and half wave rectification which in cheaper units is crudely smoothed to a line with capacitors creating a rippling dc supply.

 

[Guest111]

Caution with advice here, D.C. can have waveform and often does to some degree, you can get D.C. with same shape wave as A.C. but it dosn't pass through zero Volts, True D.C. flat line is hard to achieve without expensive electronics and is always prone to noise, you commonly will come across full and half wave rectification which in cheaper units is crudely smoothed to a line with capacitors creating a rippling dc supply.

Cheers Darkwood,was aware of that but was trying to keep it simple like we were taught at school a long time ago just to avoid confusing the op

 

[Farmelectrics]

Thanks for your replys chaps it's a lot more clearer

 

[Farmelectrics]

Just another on LEDs or diodes on these strip lights you wire one end and the polarity has to be right otherwise the tube won't strike ok so on gu10 mains LEDs why dosnt the polarity matter cos they work either way when really they shouldn't as diodes only allow current to flow one way

 

[telectrix]

that's because the LED driver is built into the lamp base.

 

[Farmelectrics]

Thanks tel